Benthic biomass size spectra in shelf and deep-sea sediments

The biomass distributions of marine benthic metazoans (meio- to macro-fauna, 1 ?g–32 mg wet weight) across three contrasting sites were investigated to test the hypothesis that allometry can consistently explain observed trends in biomass spectra. Biomass (and abundance) size spectra were determined from observations made at the Faroe–Shetland Channel (FSC) in the Northeast Atlantic (water depth 1600 m), the Fladen Ground (FG) in the North Sea (150 m), and the hypoxic Oman Margin (OM) in the Arabian Sea (500 m). Observed biomass increased with body size as a power law at FG (scaling exponent, b = 0.16) and FSC (b = 0.32), but less convincingly at OM (b = 0.12 but not significantly different from 0). A simple model was constructed to represent the same 16 metazoan size classes used for the observed spectra, all reliant on a common detrital food pool, and allowing the three key processes of ingestion, respiration and mortality to scale with body size. A micro-genetic algorithm was used to fit the model to observations at the sites. The model accurately reproduces the observed scaling without needing to include the effects of local influences such as hypoxia. Our results suggest that the size-scaling of mortality and ingestion are dominant factors determining the distribution of biomass across the meio- to macrofaunal size range in contrasting marine sediment communities. Both the observations and the model results are broadly in agreement with the "metabolic theory of ecology" in predicting a quarter power scaling of biomass across geometric body size classes

Investigating and modelling the body size structure of benthic communities

Benthic communities were investigated in terms of their body size distributions at three environmentally contrasting study sites: (i) a shallow-water location on the Fladen Ground, North Sea, (ii) a deep-water location in the Faroe-Shetland Channel and (iii) and a mid-slope oxygen minimum zone location on the Oman Margin, Arabian Sea. The construction of body size spectra formed a central component of this analysis and it served as a foundation for further investigations into the functioning and dynamics of these communities. The shape of the biomass size spectra at all three locations could best be described by biomass increasing as a function of body size. In contrast to earlier studies, the biomass distribution patterns did not display distinct evidence of bimodality, implying that biomass size spectra do not distinguish meio- and macro-fauna as two functionally distinct groups of benthic organisms.The body size spectra were found to vary in different environmental conditions. Comparisons of the two NE Atlantic locations revealed that the deeper Faroe-Shetland Channel site (1600 m) was dominated by smaller individuals than the shallower Fladen Ground site (150 m) hence conforming to the deep-sea size miniaturisation hypothesis as suggested by Thiel (1975). The size distribution patterns at the Arabian Sea site also differed significantly from the other two locations. Two taxonomic units (nematodes and polychaetes) overwhelmingly dominated the fauna in the low oxygen environment and this was reflected in the shape of the size spectra.The empirical results formed a basis for a benthic simulation model that attempted to reproduce the trends observed in the field data. The size-based approach was observed to be successful in modelling the benthic biomass distributions. The results suggested that defecation and mortality imposed a strong influence on community size structure. Production and energy flow were also estimated at community level by utilising the empirical size distribution data and the previously established allometric relations

Human rights struggles in a transnational field of power:tracing transversal lines between UN special rapporteurs, spokespersons of Crimean Tatars and the Sámi people

The SERPENT Project, Scientific & Environmental ROV Partnership using Existing iNdustrial Technology, is a collaboration between world leading scientific institutions and companies associated with the oil and gas industry. SERPENT is hosted at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS), one of the worlds’ largest research and teaching organisations specialising in deep-sea science and oceanography. SERPENT encompasses a scientific network of academic partners across the world (USA, Canada, Brazil, Africa, Australia), linked to a network of major oil and gas operators and contractors. The project centres around the opportunistic use of ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) in operational settings during periods of stand-by time. The project also aims to maximise the scientific benefit of environmental data collected as part of routine offshore operations and environmental surveys. Through access to ROVs and such environmental data scientists at NOCS and from the wider SERPENT partnership aim to improve the scientific understanding of the deep-sea's biodiversity in all its aspects. This document presents the cruise reports for SERPENT missions carried out in 2007 and includes a history of all previous SERPENT missions and a list of samples taken during the project to date

SERPENT Cruise Reports July 2002 to December 2006

The SERPENT Project, Scientific &amp; Environmental ROV Partnership using Existing iNdustrial Technology, is a collaboration between world leading scientific institutions and companies associated with the oil and gas industry. SERPENT is hosted at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS), one of the worlds’ largest research and teaching organisations specialising in deep-sea science and oceanography. SERPENT encompasses a scientific network of academic partners across the world (USA, Canada, Brazil, Africa, Australia), linked to a network of major oil and gas operators and contractors. The project centres around the opportunistic use of ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) in operational settings during periods of stand-by time. The project also aims to maximise the scientific benefit of environmental data collected as part of routine offshore operations and environmental surveys. Through access to ROVs and such environmental data scientists at NOCS and from the wider SERPENT partnership aim to improve the scientific understanding of the deep-sea's biodiversity in all its aspects. This document provides a history of SERPENT missions from its beginnings in July 2002 to the end of 2006 and detailed cruise reports for the missions where they are available.<br/